Global Network on Local Governance
The Global Network on Local Governance within the World Movement for Democracy seeks to strengthen local democracy by providing informal fora for discussion at regional and global levels, politically empowering disadvantaged groups, and promoting accountable, participative, transparent, and efficient local governments. The network includes elected officials, research institutions, concerned citizens, experts, and locally-oriented NGOs. Building on discussions held at the World Movement's Second Assembly in Brazil and the Third Assembly in South Africa, participants seek to develop and promote a sound understanding of local democracy at the regional and global levels and to facilitate means of sharing knowledge and experiences. The network is intended to provide a meaningful global interface for elected local government institutions.
Objectives:
- Develop an understanding of local governance and disseminate information across a wide audience.
- Provide an interface for institutions working on issues of local governance to network and share information.
- Provide an informal forum that seeks to harness ideas and solicit consensus of priority issues on local governance.
- Promote a culture of good governance at the local level.
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Membership is open to:
- Elected representatives with an emphasis on the inclusion of rural entities.
- Local government officials and administrators.
- Activists in the field of local government.
- Civil society institutions.
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The objectives will be achieved through:
- Disseminating the values of participatory local governance.
- Providing support for local governance advocacy.
- Documenting and highlighting success stories on local governance.
- Strengthening local democracy.
- Including civil society in decision making at the local level.
- Ensuring fiscally viable local governance institutions.
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Network activities will include:
- Acting as a clearing house for information on local governance.
- Creating and managing a database of organizations working in the local governance environment.
- Developing and hosting a Web site.
- Publishing a newsletter and disseminating ideas on local governance.
- Organizing study tours and site visits.
- Establishing links with existing local government networks.
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Network Activities and Resources
- "Local Gov Net" Discussion List. To subscribe, submit the following:
Information Updates (coming soon)
Click here to learn about the latest networking developments.
List of Participating Organizations (coming soon)
Newsletter (coming soon)
Online Publications on Local Governance
World Movement's "What's Being Done on Strengthening Local Governance?"
Organizational Structure
The interim secretariat will be located at the India-based Institute for Social Sciences (ISS) with the South Africa-based Democracy Development Programme (DDP) as key auxiliary of the local governance network.
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The Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) aims to study contemporary social, political and economic issues, with an inter-disciplinary perspective. The Institute makes its research findings and recommendations available to government bodies, policy makers, social scientists and workers' organizations to widen their options for action. The ISS monitors public policy and engages in consistent advocacy. The ISS focuses on participatory local self-government, people centric development and democratic governance. For more information go to: www.issin.org
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The Democracy Development Programme (DDP) works "to promote sustainable democracy, political tolerance and a culture of human rights and good governance amongst all peoples of southern Africa." The DDP is committed to the promotion of a sustainable democracy, political awareness and tolerance, and a culture of human rights and good governance. Since its creation in 1993, the DDP has supported capacity building on governance and civil society levels to ensure that both are empowered to contribute meaningfully to the process of the social transformation in South Africa.
For more information, go to www.ddp.org.za or click on the DDP Brochure
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Assembly Workshop Reports
We encourage you to review the workshop reports from the Second and Third Assemblies and to send us any information on work your organization may be doing that is related to the recommendations listed. Please send the information to .
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